The present invention relates to a self-contained cleaning device that can be held and operated by an individual using one hand, for cleaning smooth surfaces, particularly but not exclusively surfaces such as screens on portable personal items.
Many portable personal items have smooth surfaces, which typically become dirty and require cleaning from time to time. Examples of such items include handheld electronic devices such as computers, game and/or video players, personal data assistants, cameras, and cellular phones which have screens that are smooth and typically flat or slightly convex. Many such screens are now being made quite small for enhancing their portability, which can make them difficult to clean. Other examples of such items would include eye glasses (often made of material other than glass) and containers for such things as makeup, business cards, or cigarettes, which have surfaces that are smooth and flat enough for allowing them to be wiped by a cleaning element such as a soft cloth, sponge, or other material that is effective for cleaning the surface without unduly abrading it. Unfortunately, to be most effective for cleaning, the cleaning element generally must be wetted with some form of cleaning fluid comprising a solution that is useful for enhancing the cleaning of the surface. This makes it difficult to carry such cleaning element for ready use unless one also carries a separate container to either hold the pre-wetted cleaning element or to hold the fluid for dispensing it onto (which as used herein includes “into”) a dry piece of the cleaning element (thus wetting it) just before it is to be used (thereafter presenting a disposal problem). The convenience, ease, and appeal of cleaning such surfaces could be significantly enhanced if it could be done using a single self-contained handheld surface cleaning device.
It is believed that the present invention offers advantages over previous ideas for devices that help individuals clean surfaces of portable personal items.